Adult Books

Long Red Hair by Meags Fitzgerald

In this graphic memoir, Fitzgerald paints a childhood full of sleepovers, playing dress-up, amateur fortune-telling and renting scary movies. The book navigates a child’s struggle with mediocrity, a preteen’s budding bisexuality and a young woman’s return after rejection.

All I Love and Know by Judith Frank

Told with the storytelling power and emotional fidelity of Wally Lamb, this is a searing drama of a modern American family on the brink of dissolution, one that explores adoption, gay marriage, and love lost and found. Are there limits to honesty or commitment—or love?

The Gods of Tango by Carolina de Robertis

February 1913: seventeen-year-old Leda, clutching a suitcase and her father’s cherished violin, leaves her small Italian village for a new home (and husband) halfway across the world in Argentina. Upon her arrival in Buenos Aires, Leda is shocked to find that her bridegroom has been killed. She develops a passion for playing her violin that her father sent oversea with her. She even convinces an elderly Italian immigrant to teach her to play. Leda knows, however, that she can never play in public as a woman, so she cuts off her hair, binds her breasts, and, as a young man, joins a troupe of musicians bent on bringing tango into the salons of high society.

Queer City: Gay London from Romans to the Present Day by Peter Ackroyd

In Queer City, Ackroyd looks at the metropolis in a whole new way – through the history and experiences of its gay population. He takes us to the heart of this hidden city, celebrating its diversity, thrills and energy on the one hand, but reminding us of its very real terrors, dangers and risks on the other. In a city of superlatives, it is perhaps this endless sexual fluidity and resilience that encapsulate the real triumph of London.

How to Survive a Plague: the Inside Story of How Citizens and Science Tamed AIDS by David France

Suspenseful, devastating, and finally inspiring, this is the story of the men and women who watched their friends and lovers fall, ignored by public officials, religious leaders, and the nation at large. Expansive yet richly detailed, How to Survive a Plague is an insider’s account of a pivotal moment in the history of civil rights.

A Two Spirit Journey: the Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder by Ma-Nee Chacaby

From her early, often harrowing memories of life and abuse, Chacaby’s story is one of enduring obstacles. After finding support, she achieved sobriety and then trained and worked as an alcoholism counselor, raised her children and fostered many others, learned to live with visual impairment and came out as a lesbian. In 2013, Chacaby led the first gay pride parade in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Surpassing Certainty: What My Twenties Taught Me by Janet Mock

Riveting, rousing, and utterly real, Surpassing Certainty is a portrait of a young woman searching for her purpose and place in the world—without a road map to guide her. Despite her disadvantages, fueled by her dreams and inimitable drive, Janet makes her way through New York City while holding her truth close. She builds a career in the highly competitive world of magazine publishing—within the unique context of being trans, a woman, and a person of color.

Tomboy Survival Guide by Ivan Coyote

Ivan Coyote is a celebrated storyteller and the author of ten previous books, including Gender Failure (with Rae Spoon) and One in Every Crowd, a collection for LGBT youth. Tomboy Survival Guide is a funny and moving memoir told in stories, about how they learned to embrace their tomboy past while carving out a space for those of us who don’t fit neatly into boxes, identities or labels.

Irrepressible: The Jazz Age Life of Henrietta Bingham by Emily Bingham

Raised like a princess in one of the most powerful families in the American South, Henrietta Bingham was offered the helm of a publishing empire. But her love affairs with women made her the subject of derision and caused a doctor to try to cure her queerness. For the biographer and historian Emily Bingham, the secret of who her great-aunt was, and just why her story was concealed for so long, led to Irrepressible: The Jazz Age Life of Henrietta Bingham.

“You’re in the Wrong Bathroom!” And 20 Other Myths and Misconceptions about Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People by Laura Erickson-Schroth and Laura A. Jacobs

This book unpacks the twenty-one most common myths about transgender people. Authors Laura Erickson-Schroth, MD, a psychiatrist, and Laura A. Jacobs, LCSW-R, a psychotherapist, address myths about trans identity (all trans people are trapped in the wrong body ), sex and relationships (most trans people do sex work and have HIV), health and safety (trans people are mentally ill and therapy can change them), and history and community (trans people and feminists don t get along).”

When Your Child is Gay: What You Need to Know by Wesley C. Davidson and Jonathan L. Tobkes

Emphasizing communication and unconditional love, Davidson and Tobkes help parents untangle their own feelings, identify and overcome barriers to acceptance, encourage strong self-esteem in their child, handle negative or hostile reactions to their child’s sexual identity, and more. Filled with case studies and interviews, along with useful action plans and conversation starters, this is a positive, progressive guide to raising healthy, well-adjusted adults.

The Gender Creative Child: Pathways for Nurturing and Supporting Children Who Live Outside Gender Boxes by Diane Ehrensaft

In her groundbreaking first book, Gender Born, Gender Made, Dr. Diane Ehrensaft coined the term gender creative to describe children whose unique gender expression or sense of identity is not defined by a checkbox on their birth certificate. Now, with The Gender Creative Child, she returns to guide parents and professionals through the rapidly changing cultural, medical, and legal landscape of gender and identity.

Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood by Eric Rosswood

Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood provides a unique combination of inspirational firsthand accounts combined with the critical information, tips and advice needed to help couples successfully navigate the complex road to parenthood. Each section includes a description of the specific family-building approach, followed by personal stories from same-sex couples and individuals who have chosen and gone through that particular journey.

Children and Teen Books

Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy CR: HarperCollins Publishers

Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard

All Pen wants is to be the kind of girl she’s always been. So why does everyone have a problem with it? “This is a fresh title in the growing sea of LGBTQ YA literature. There is no sugarcoating in this very real portrayal of an aspect of teen life that many experience. Recommended for fans of YA urban fiction as well as those who prefer grittier LGBTQ lit.” — School Library Journal

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime.

Georgia Peaches and other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown

Joanna Gordon has been out and proud for years, but when her popular radio evangelist father remarries and decides to move all three of them from Atlanta to the more conservative Rome, Georgia, he asks Jo to do the impossible: to lie low for the rest of her senior year. And Jo reluctantly agrees. Joanna meets the perfect girl for her and must decide whether to break a promise that could change everything for her and her family or lose out on love.

When the Moon was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

To everyone who knows them, best friends Miel and Sam are as strange as they are inseparable. Roses grow out of Miel’s wrist, and rumors say that she spilled out of a water tower when she was five. Sam is known for the moons he paints and hangs in the trees and for how little anyone knows about his life before he and his mother moved to town. Atmospheric, dynamic, and packed with gorgeous prose, When the Moon was Ours is another winner from Anna-Marie McLemore.

Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi. But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister Hattie’s pregnancy, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.

Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights by Ann Bausum

In 1969 being gay in the United States was a criminal offense. It meant living a closeted life or surviving on the fringes of society. People went to jail, lost jobs, and were disowned by their families for being gay. Most doctors considered homosexuality a mental illness. There were few safe havens. Ann Bausum’s riveting exploration of the Stonewall Riots and the national Gay Rights movement that followed is eye-opening, unflinching, and inspiring.

One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva

Alek Khederian should have guessed something was wrong when his parents took him to a restaurant. Everyone knows that Armenians never eat out. Alek’s parents announce that he’ll be attending summer school in order to bring up his grades. Alek is sure this experience will be the perfect hellish end to his hellish freshmen year of high school. He never could’ve predicted that he’d meet someone like Ethan.

History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

When Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself has gone far off course. If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history.

The Other Boy by M.G. Hennessey

Twelve-year-old Shane Woods is just a regular boy. But Shane is keeping something private, and when a classmate threatens to reveal his secret, Shane’s whole world comes crashing down. It will take a lot of courage for Shane to ignore the hate and show the world that he’s still the same boy he was before. And in the end, those who stand beside him may surprise everyone, including Shane.

Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart

Lily Jo McGrother, born Timothy McGrother, is a girl. But being a girl is not so easy when you look like a boy. Especially when you’re in the eighth grade. Dunkin Dorfman, birth name Norbert Dorfman, is dealing with bipolar disorder and has just moved from the New Jersey town he’s called home for the past thirteen years. One summer morning, Lily Jo McGrother meets Dunkin Dorfman, and their lives forever change.

My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer by Jennifer Gennari

Twelve-year-old June Farrell is sure of one thing—she’s great at making pies—and she plans to prove it by winning a blue ribbon in the Champlain Valley Fair pie competition. But a backlash against Vermont’s civil union law threatens her family’s security and their business. Even when faced with bullying, June won’t give up on winning the blue ribbon; more importantly, she won’t give up on her family.

Pride: Celebrating Diversity and Community by Robin Stevenson

Pride Day is a spectacular and colorful event. But there is a whole lot more to Pride than rainbow flags and amazing outfits. So what exactly are we celebrating on Pride Day? How did this event come to be? And what does Pride mean to the people who celebrate it?

Enjoy celebrating Pride Week! If you’d like a comprehensive list of all of our LBTQ+ materials, check out our Rainbow List online!

The Adult Department on the main level of St. Thoma Public Library now has THREE book displays: one in the fiction area, one in the Marketplace near the DVDs, and one in the non-fiction section. It keeps our staff (and our customers) busy, busy, busy! What’s featured this February? Nothing but fabulosity!

The Marketplace

They’re back! Blind Date with a Book is in full swing and ready for you to pick our your fate-crossed-read. These books have been selected by library staff to represent the good, the bad, and the unusual. It might be the most amazing thing you’ve read, or it might be a bit of a dud. Ah, the beauty of a blind date with a book – you might read something that you wouldn’t have considered even picking up and fall absolutely in love with it, or you might think “What the heck am I reading?” The point is, you won’t know what book you get until you “Check it out,” and the mystery is half the fun. We just hope you can get past the cheesy book pick-up lines… (They’re books. Cut them some slack. They do the best they can, even with pick-up lines like “You’re good for my circulation.”) Date not working for you? No worries! You can simply return your date and they’ll never call you leaving awkward voicemail or creep you on Facebook.

Adult Fiction

Not everyone celebrates Valentine’s Day in February, and we support those folks! We’re doing something 100% opposite to the lovey-dovey chick-lit that usually appears in February. We have a new library display: Read It and Weep. This display is full of books that will move you to tears, be they happy, heartfelt, indignant, righteous, or horrified tears, we suggest you have a box of tissues with you. Don’t get us wrong – they’re not meant to be depressing. Some of the best books we’ve ever read have moved us to tears! And besides, sometimes you can use a good cry. Books like these open your eyes to certain issues and make empathic readers out of all of us. Give this display a good look. There are some GOOD ones here for sure!

Adult Non-fiction

When it comes to displaying non-fiction books, it can get a little tricky. They can often be too specific and we sometimes run out of books to display! Never good. So we’re relying on an old faithful – displays by colour. This month, we’re going with Have You RED This Book Yet? All of the books on this non-fiction display have nothing really in common, except the colour of the cover. There are books from nearly EVERY subject on this display; You’ll never know what treasure you’ll find on there. It’s interesting to see what kind of themes appear when we just select books based on the colour of their cover. Let us know if you can sense a pattern. (It isn’t intentional, but the book publishing folks would probably tell you it is!)

Our first book discussion for our NEW “Books & Brews”Book Club is quickly approaching! Join us on Wednesday, November 19 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Midtown Tavern (701 Talbot Street, St Thomas, ON) for a discussion on “Wind, Sand & Stars” by Atoine de Saint-Exupery.

We currently have 4 copies of this book available, thanks to Interlibrary loan, on our Holds Shelf on the main level of the library. We’re very excited for our first official book discussion!

Please note that this book club does take place in a bar, so we ask that only those 19 and older participate. Please note that you are by no means obligated to purchase alcoholic beverages to take part in this book club. We leave that choice to the discretion of the participants.

Have questions about the Books & Brews Book Club? Give the library a call at 519-631-6050 ext. 8013 or email Trish, the Books & Brews Book Club coordinator, at tlee@stthomaspubliclibrary.ca. Hope you can join us!

We’re a busy busy busy people. (It’s a “Cat’s Cradle” reference, get it?) We’re rushed, we’re stressed, and we don’t always have time to spend browsing the shelves of the library to find something good to read. Sometimes, we don’t even know what we’re looking for! Talk about a time drain…

Don’t worry – staff are here to help. For the month of August 2014, St. Thomas Public Library staff have put together “Book Bundles.” We’ve picked three books that all have something in common and made up handy-dandy tags to tell you what they’re all about. Sometimes they have a common theme, such as “Weddings,” some have something loosely in common, such as “Experimental Reads: Interesting, Unorthodox, and Unusual,” and some are taken from lists such as the BBC Top 100 Reading List or the poster in the Adult Fiction area called “100 Books That Will Make You More Interesting (PDF).”

Have a suggestion for a book bundle topic? Leave a comment to let us know! We’ll do our best to make it happen.

This display is located on the main level of the library in the Adult Fiction section, near the Information Desk. All you have to do is pick a topic, and you have three books ready to go! Wham, bam, thank you ma’am! We’re adding to this display all month long, so be sure to stop by and check it out, especially if you’re in a hurry. ;o)

St. Thomas Public Library staff have put together another awesome display of “Best Read of 2012 Staff Picks.” The books in the display are ones that library staff have read in 2012 and think are so fantastic that you need to read them too! Most of the recommendations are from the Adult Fiction collection, but some are Teen and Youth fiction. All are well worth the read!

And now it’s YOUR turn! Tell us your favourite read of 2012; we’ll include it in our display and you’ll have a chance to win a library prize pack! Comment on this post or email Ruth at rcrocker@st-thomas.library.on.ca to participate.

You don’t have to come to the library to see what’s on the display. Here’s the complete list of recommendations:

The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda by Angelberger, Tom

Year of the Flood by Atwood, Margaret

Alice I Have Been by Benjamin, Melanie

San Miguel by Boyle, T.C.

Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury, Ray

A Red Herring without Mustard by Bradley, Alan

Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Brunt, Carol

Glamping with Mary Jane: Glamour and Camping by Butlers, Mary Jane

Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Cabot, Meg

Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Cain, Susan